Embodiments of the present specification relate generally to an ultrasound probe, and more particularly to a docking station for electrically charging and managing a thermal condition of the ultrasound probe.
Medical diagnostic ultrasound is an imaging modality that employs ultrasound waves to probe acoustic properties of biological tissues and produces corresponding images. Particularly, ultrasound systems are used to provide an accurate visualization of muscles, tendons, and other internal organs to assess their size, structure, movement, and/or any pathological conditions using near real-time images. Moreover, owing to the ability to image the underlying tissues without the use of ionizing radiation, ultrasound systems find extensive use in angiography and prenatal scanning.
Typically, ultrasound systems employ an ultrasound probe that houses components, such as an internal battery, beamforming electronics, and transmitter and receiver circuitry for transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals from a target volume in a subject or a patient. Further, these ultrasound signals are processed to obtain a quality image of the subject. However, during operation, the components of the ultrasound probe may generate heat, which in turn may affect or limit the operation of the probe. Also, as the internal battery in the probe is used for supplying electrical power to other components in the probe, electrical charge in the battery may be drained frequently. Thus, it is desirable to charge the battery of the probe while simultaneously managing a thermal condition of the probe.
In conventional ultrasound systems, the thermal condition of the ultrasound probe is managed by increasing the surface area of the ultrasound probe to absorb or dissipate the heat generated in the probe. However, this increase in the size of the ultrasound probe may have repercussions on the ergonomics and/or hygiene aspects of the ultrasound probe. Also, the presently available techniques entail separately charging the internal battery in the ultrasound probe via use of a wired connector and an external power supply.